A method for manufacturing a three-dimensional shaped object by irradiating a powder material with a light beam is known (such method can be generally referred to as “Selective Laser Sintering”). Such method can produce the three-dimensional shaped object with a plurality of solidified layers stacked integrally by repeating the step (i) of forming a solidified layer by irradiating a predetermined portion of a powder layer with a light beam, thereby allowing a sintering of the predetermined portion of the powder material or a melting and solidification thereof, and the step (ii) of forming another solidified layer by newly forming a powder layer on the resulting solidified layer, followed by similarly irradiating the powder layer with the light beam. The three-dimensional shaped object thus obtained can be used as a metal mold in a case where inorganic powder materials such as metal powder and ceramic powder are used as the powder material. While on the other hand, the three-dimensional shaped object can be used as a model or replica in a case where organic powder materials such as resin powder and plastic powder are used as the powder material. This kind of technology makes it possible to produce the three-dimensional shaped object with a complicated profile in a short period of time.
A stacked-layers forming device is used for the above selective laser sintering. In the stacked-layers forming device, the three-dimensional shaped object is produced on a base which serves as a foundation for the shaped object. Specifically, on the base of the stacked-layers forming device, the powder layer is formed and then the predetermined portion thereof is irradiated with the light beam, thereby allowing a sintering of the predetermined portion of the powder material or a melting and solidification thereof, resulting in a formation of the solidified layer. In this regard, the base is gradually lowered every time the formations of one powder layer and one solidified layer are completed. For example, see Patent Document 1.
FIGS. 14(a) and 14(b) show a part of the stacked-layers forming device of this kind. Such stacked-layers forming device is equipped with a forming region 104 where the powder layer and the solidified layer are formed and a powder-supplying region 105 for supplying the powder material to the forming region 104. The forming region 104 is equipped with “forming table 140 which serves as a base”, “elevating/descending machine 142 which can elevate and descend the forming table 140” and “frame 141 for the forming table, which surrounds the forming table 140”. On the other hand, the powder-supplying region 105 is equipped with “storage tank 151 for storing powder material”, “elevating/descending mechanism 152 and elevating/descending table 150 for giving a lift to a powder material of the storage tank 151” and “powder-supplying blade 120 for transferring the top portion of the powder material of the storage tank 151 toward the forming table 140, while leveling the surface of the transferred powder material on the forming table 140”.
As for such stacked-layers forming device, the predetermined portion of the powder layer is subjected to a sintering or a melting and subsequent solidification to form the solidified layer, and subsequently the forming table 140 is lowered for newly forming a further powder layer and a further solidified layer. Upon forming the powder layer, the elevating/descending table 150 is slightly lifted so that the top portion of the powder material of the storage tank 151 is located higher than the upper surface of the frame 141, and thereafter the powder-supplying blade 120 is forced to slide for pushing the powder material on the elevating/descending table 150 toward the forming table 140.